nearlychosen | 1st seed; [Action/Voice]

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1st seed; [Action/Voice]

[Perhaps the journal picks up the sound of Neville's arrival as he is unceremoniously deposited on the icy southern lake sometime in the dead of night. If not that, then it might catch the dull groaning as he slowly wakes and struggles to pull himself upright. If not that, then certainly the furious squeak from sneakers lacking traction on slippery ice would catch the journal's attention, as would the dull thudding as Neville collides with some child's forgotten snowman on the westernmost bank. A sharp intake of breath, then] No wand. Bastards. [In fact, even though Neville hasn't yet noticed the presence of the book at all, he seems perfectly aware that someone is listening, even if it isn't quite who he expects.]

It's still not enough! [The words, though a bit rasped and wheezing, are spoken with the stubbornness of one who rather expected this displacement.] You think you can just Portkey me someplace and be done with it? You won't get me -- not any of us -- to back down that easily. I know you're here -- show yourselves, you bloody cowards!

[The dead silence is less than encouraging. It means that if he wasn't being watched, then he'd been sent far enough that he wouldn't need supervision. Accio wand. [The incantation is intoned softly through clenched teeth. It doesn't escape him how ironic it was that in his desperation to recover his stolen wand he's resorted to a summoning spell that usually required the use of his wand in the first place. The spell fails spectacularly, leaving Neville to suppose his captors laughed, wherever they happen to be.

Still, the place he'd been sent certainly merits some investigation. If he'd been sent here via portkey, then some other innocuous-looking thing might well be the ticket home. It might appear off for a young, underdressed, blackeyed, fairly beaten and emaciated man to be picking up small stones with a thoughtful expression, but finding an alternate portkey is simply the most plausible way back to the more important matters he'd left at home.]

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[She closes her journal and Apparates out to one lake. And then sends out her Patronus with a message, hoping to catch him here... but Terri promptly darts off in the entirely wrong direction. Wouldn't you know she'd pick the wrong lake to try first? So she Apparates again and sends Terri out a second time.

Neville will likely receive two Patronus messengers that both say something along the line of Neville, are you here?

And then, once she's sure that's him across the way, she'll Apparate kind of close, but not too close just so she doesn't startle him.]

Neville?

[Quite frankly, the patronus is needed. He'd been shivering from the cold despite his best efforts, and his eyes light up at the familiar sight of Hermione's otters. He gives them an affectionate pat, calmed enough by the warmth and cheer radiating from the spell that he grins broadly at the sound of Hermione's voice.] Hermione! You're a welcome sight in an unwelcome situation! [He runs to hug her, and up close she might feel the thinness in his arms or get a better look at the puffy swollen patch around his blackened eye.]

[She understands his words all too well and definitely takes him up on the hug... but the arms and shivering are noticed. She pulls back, frowning.]

Neville, what... you've got a black eye. [brb using the healing magic she learned from the spirit here and then conjuring up blankets for him.]

I'm glad to see you but... are you all right?

Oh, it's no big deal -- I'm fine -- nothing to worry about! [And though the warmth of the blankets is appreciated, he covers himself immediately mostly to hide more of himself from her gaze. He's not really in the mood for a "woe is me" party.]

Tell me more about what's happening here. The book you spoke to me from said something about captives from different worlds? [He still hasn't touched the book yet.]

[She sees what you did there, Neville, but she won't press you for now.]

It's a long story... And one that's best talked about at home. Can you hold on if I Apparate us both? Oh, and you'll want to hold onto your journal.

[She quickly summons it and tucks it into her handbag, which ~~her mun forgot to mention she has with her~~ is ridiculously small and doesn't look capable of holding the journal.]

Edited 2010-02-10 18:41 (UTC)

If you can manage it.

[Eh, he's pureblooded -- he doesn't question her Handbag Magic. Stuff like that just happens. He obligingly holds on to her waist and gives her a chance to perform her magic.]

I ought to be able to.

[And it's Hermione Granger. Stuff happens around Hermione Granger. She makes sure one of her hands is holding his other shoulder just in case as she turns on the spot and drags them both into darkness with a loud CRACK.

[Moments later, they land in her room of the DA House and she lets go, quickly moving to place a silencing spell around them. Then she digs his journal out and offers it to him.]

All right... The first thing you need to know is that everything I'm about to tell you is strictly a secret. Most of the housemates know, as well as Tonks and Lupin, but it all has to be kept off the journals. We can't let the Malnosso, the people "in charge" here, know what we know.

[He nods dutifully, his eyes focused firmly on her as she fills him in. He takes the journal gingerly.]

Sounds a lot like Hogwarts so far. Do go on.

[She's not letting him off the hook. Just moving the hook to the 'later' placement. Hermione can now prioritise her arguments. Isn't it amazing?

[She takes a seat on her bed, and offers the other end of it or the chair nearby if he wants to sit down.]

First thing you should know: This place is called Luceti. There are impenetrable barriers surrounding Luceti. The people who control the environment, or most of it, are called the Malnosso. They live beyond the barrier and no one's been able to get past a barrier without their consent. The general belief, and the one we try to tell the Malnosso, is that they are the ones who bring people in and send them away. According to my research, this may not be true, but no one's really certain. I believe it's a product or ability of Luceti itself.

[Now she's rummaging around in her handbag again for her notes. Must be sure she has her figures right. Hopefully this gives Neville a chance to digest that before she tl;drs later on.]

[Neville shuns this hook. Though it is rather amazing that the hook is shunable.]

[He settles down in the chair, nodding when she pauses.] So you're saying they're a group who just pluck people from different worlds? Or-- if they don't, then someone does and says it's them? How come? What do they get out of it? ...How long 'til you lot get to go back to Hogwarts and set things right? [So maybe Neville's priorities aren't as in order as Hermione's.]

[Isn't it, though? And it's not really possible to completely shun Hermione's hooks.]

It's difficult. No one really knows for sure. All we have are educated guesses. The Malnosso like to keep us as in the dark as possible, and we have to keep them thinking we don't know anything so they won't be wary of us.

[That and she doesn't know who exactly wipes out the groups of people each time, though she has a few hunches. But that's another story for another day.]

I don't know when we'll be able to return home. I'm constantly researching as much as I can, but the library has been pointedly cleaned of any material on Luceti itself, so our resources on that are limited at best. Right now, we're pretty certain that Luceti, as in the world or planet or whatever it truly is, is what is bringing us all here, and it's been doing this for hundreds of years. We aren't the first group of people to be pulled here. Even the Malnosso seem to have been removed from their own homes and brought here. At least, that's the common theory between the scholars here.

[Naturally, she's counting herself as one of those.]

What's wrong with making them wary of you? Maybe they'll back off a little if they know you mean business.

[From the sound of it, there'll be plenty of time for all their stories. It doesn't entirely sit right with Neville.]

In that case, I want to help. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? I can't be away from the DA for too long, not the way things have gotten. Just tell me what you need done to find a way out and I'll make sure it happens. [He's glossed over the bits where Hermione's said that she genuinely doesn't know, because of course Hermione knows. HErmione knows everything.]

If only that were true. Neville, it's as bad as the war. We're like test subjects, Muggles that Bellatrix has gotten her hands to torture. The Malnosso are capable of what's known as Shifting technology. What this means is that once a month, nearly every month, they conduct an experiment. We don't have a choice. And every so often, they pick people seemingly at random and kidnap them to conduct more personal experiments. Angering them would only make it worse. Our abilities aren't quite powerful enough to handle what they might throw at us, not yet.

[Which means she hasn't given up just yet.She bypasses most of what he asks, though.]

Neville, most of the DA's here, living with me. The only ones we're missing now are Ginny and Ron.

That just means there's more reason to let them know they haven't won. Just because they're in power doesn't mean they have to stay there. They've taken us, but that doesn't mean we need to go quietly. If a couple of us fight back, maybe everyone else will too and then we'll be able to go home again.

[He's noticed that, and will be asking again once he gets the chance.]

Wh--really? Are they mad?? Seamus shouldn't have been moved in his condition! [He's not quite thinking of the same people Hermione is when they talk of active DA members.]

[And Neville is talking about fighting back. Something's happened while she's been gone and she does. not. like. it.]

Neville, what's happened at Hogwarts? You're... you're not acting the same as when I last saw you. [Not that this is a bad thing, per se. It's just different. Very different.]

[A slight twist of her lips accompanies this.] I should have said, the Department of Mysteries fighters. Harry, me, Luna, Cho, and now you. But what's this about Seamus? [Remember that hook, Neville? It's back.]

Edited 2010-02-11 17:53 (UTC)

Nothing major. Snape's headmaster, Death Eaters teaching classes -- I think it's all things you've known already. We're still together, fighting the good fight while we wait for you to finish what you've set off to do. The Carrows like to think they've got everyone running around like good little purebloods ever since they were put in charge of discipline, but we make it very clear that there's still Dumbledore's Army and we aren't going anywhere. It's kind of fallen on me to lead things, I guess, ever since Ginny and Luna didn't come back after the holidays. Lots of people just want to give up and stop fighting and just go to class. They think Harry's just in hiding, like he's forgotten about us and what he got started. But I keep telling them that you're all coming back soon and we'll work together to send those bloody death eaters running back to You-Know-Who. That's why it's important to get out of here as quickly as possible.

[Oh. Hey there, hook. Some of the enthusiasm drains out of his expression, his face betraying some of his exhaustion.] Oh, he just got on the wrong end of a detention. A couple of detentions, actually. We're trying to heal him up best we can, but it's been slow going -- none of us are really up to Madam Pomfrey's level.

[It's a good thing she's heard a lot of this from Luna, but that's still a huge shock. She's just going to stare at him for a bit, hands over her mouth. Because seriously? She didn't expect it to be that bad.]

Oh, Neville... I never thought- I mean, Luna's told me enough, she's from Christmas of this year, and it sounded bad enough then, but this... this is worse than I thought it'd be.

And Seamus... he's going to be all right? Has Madam Pomfrey gone? Did they... [She can't bring herself to ask if the Death Eaters killed her. That would be too horrible.]

[He forces a smile, mostly because Hermione looks so scandalized.] Things were a bit easier when Ginny and Luna were around, but it's not unbearable! Don't let it upset you too much. we're doing good things, and that's all that matters.

Seamus'll be fine! ...Sooner or later. It's mostly that Madam Pomfrey's had her hands full lately, with students coming in and out all the time. With so many of us in hiding, it would get too conspicuous if we were all in the Hospital Wing all the time.

But that's... that's awful! Harry, Ron, and I have been working hard to stop all this. [But she still can't imagine what it was like to actually live it.]

...What do you mean 'in hiding?'

[That hook of hers isn't letting Neville go any time soon.]

I know you have. You'll do it, too. I believe in you.

I.. ah.. [Hesitation hesitation hesitation.] Well, you see I sort of became a bit of a nuisance to them after a while. They want to keep people scared and well-behaved, and I tried to always stand up to them when they'd act out of line, like Harry probably would've done if someone tried to make us practice the Cruciatus on students with detention. And when I wouldn't back down to the usual bullying, things got a little serious, and I figured it'd be best if I got out of sight for a while. They went after my Gran to try getting the DA to stop, but Gran can take care of herself better than any witch I know. She sent that Death Eater to St Mungo's, I heard. Right now, we've still got a decent headquarters for people to stay when they've gotten too conspicuous. It'll -- We'll be fine until you're done. We can be patient.

...Thanks, Neville. [And she'll offer a tired smile.

[That quickly fades as he talks. Sounds about as bad as what she's been through... what with Godric's Hollow, Malfoy Manor...

[Still doesn't really help the shock factor.]

... [treasure this moment, Neville. Hermione "Know-It-All" Granger is at a loss for words.]

I can't believe that's happening. Or going to happen for me. Erm, and that's another thing I should tell you about. People here can get pulled from the strangest times. I think Cho's from around where you are, Harry remembers Gringotts but I don't, I remember Malfoy Manor in March, Luna's from Christmas, and Draco's from the end of sixth year. And that doesn't even count some of the others...

[oh and yes she did just call Malfoy by his first name. Have fun with that.]

[He kind of wishes that she wasn't so speechless. Her doe-eyed stare is a little uncomfortable, and Neville tries to downplay it by shrugging.] It's okay, nothing like the adventure you're having. Or will have, when you get to it.

[He nods at the list of hostages from their world, until the mention of Malfoy's first name throws him fully off track.] How long have you been calling him that?

I've had enough of an adventure... Malfoy Manor was more than enough.

[She doesn't even think about it.] Four months. I know it sounds like rubbish - Ron didn't believe me, either, when he was here and it took ages for Harry to warm up to him. Malfoy isn't the one we need to worry with. I don't think he's as bad as everyone thinks he is.

...What happened there?

You just think that because you haven't seen him. He's just like the rest of the Slytherins. They're full-on supporters of You-Know-Who.

[She inhales sharply.] Bellatrix. I found out just how much she hates Muggle-borns. [Among other things she didn't know happened because she was upstairs getting tortured til she passed out.]

Maybe he becomes that way when left at home. But I saw him at the manor and I've watched him here. There's something about him. He doesn't want to do any of that. He's not like his father or aunt at all. He doesn't take joy in torturing people.

[action] - that's okaaay. It'll move along whenever we can make it \o\ ♥

[action] - It'll be the little RP engine that Could.

[action] - That's how all of my threads are XDDD

[action] - It'll get to the station sooner or later!

[action] - Yes indeedy! And we'll enjoy the ride while we're on it!

[action] - :|b

[action] - ♥?

[action] - ♥!! As I make a quickie nonpost on my way out the door SORRY <33

[action] - ♥!! That's okay! I really need to converge all of Mione's notes into a post someday...

[action] - ♥!! She'd be competing with Raine for top Luceti Smartie. XD

[action] - ♥!! Raine's one of the reasons she knows as much as she does XD

[action] - ♥!! And it all makes sense now. XD

[action] - ♥!! XD Her first day here, Raine came over and explained everything she knew

[action] - ♥!! Well that's both helpful AND convenient! :D

[action] - ♥!! yes! but now I have class so XD

[action] - ♥!! You having class gave me time to go shovel some snow. xD

[action] - ♥!! I would say yay but I'm still sore from two days of that XD

[action] - ♥!! xD I'm so glad you understand

[action] - ♥!! oh I do XD 6 inches out there and OH HOW IT HURTS DX

[action] - ♥!! Owwww. =X It snowed like 24 hours over the last day or so and we're just cleaning n

[action] - ♥!! Yeah it was like two days straight for us and university canceled a lot of classes.

[action] - ♥!! YAY for time off though!

[action] - ♥!! yeees even if it nearly makes me miss choir XD i'm sooo off schedule

[action] - ♥!! Aww! You'll get it back!

[action] - ♥!! tryyyiiiiing sob DX actually I'm not or I would have been in bed an hour ago xDa